| Driving home from the lake, I was listening to Dian | | | | The second part of that question was, "do you need a |
| Rehm on NPR and was delighted to hear her | | | | meditation teacher?" |
| addressing the topic of meditation! Especially when her | | | | Let me answer the second part first: YES! |
| guests included Josephine Briggs, researcher, physician | | | | A thoroughly trained teacher with a multi-disciplined |
| and director of the National Institutes of Health's | | | | approach to mediation is a MUST - especially for the |
| National Center for Complementary and Alternative | | | | western student who is overloaded with sensory |
| Medicine (NIH); Jonathan Foust senior teacher, the | | | | stimuli. I mean, really, we look like the Borg, walking |
| Insight Meditation Community of Washington, and | | | | around with blinking Bluetooths or dangling ear-buds! |
| former president of the Kripalu Center for Yoga and | | | | There is no one way to meditate. I list a few of the |
| Health; and Richard Davidson, director, Waisman | | | | basics below, but over the past 30 years of studying |
| Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior and the | | | | and teaching I have found that there is a combination |
| Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, University of | | | | that works for everyone. And its always best to start |
| Wisconsin-Madison. | | | | out with live instruction, followed up with CDs and then |
| I had just be speaking with my bridal-brunch | | | | on your own. The brain is the muscle of the mind, and |
| companions, many of whom had flown in as guests of | | | | has to be strengthened through regular exercise just |
| the bride from Sweden, about our mutual interest in the | | | | like any other muscle. |
| power of the mind, yoga and meditation. I always | | | | Here is your basic workout: |
| marvel at how the law of attraction works, and how I | | | | - Counting the breath |
| just "happened" to sit at the end of the table where | | | | - Guided visualization, which help you keep focused by |
| they had chosen to sit, and then had just "happened" | | | | pulling your attention back to the voice of an instructor |
| to decide to leave and turn on NPR when this | | | | (whether on a CD or in person) |
| particular program was airing. Synchronicity is a | | | | - Progressive relaxation, combines breathing, guided |
| marvelous thing!! | | | | visualization and gradually relaxing your muscles |
| But therein lies the power of the mind!! What we focus | | | | - Mantra, repeating a phrase to help you tame your |
| on - we attract to us. And indeed, I have had the | | | | "monkey mind" |
| opportunity to put this to the test over and over during | | | | - Walking (no ear-buds!) |
| the 30+ years that I have been meditating and | | | | All of the above, when combined together will lead |
| exploring the body/mind/spirit topic. Whether is was | | | | your mind to stillness. |
| healing my own body, or coping with stress at work, I | | | | Which answers the first part of the question: |
| have seen up-close-and-personal the power of having | | | | Once you give your mind three things to focus on - |
| a daily meditation practice and what it can mean to | | | | breathing, relaxing the body and repeating a phrase |
| both my personal life and my health; as well as my | | | | such as "peace, still" you thoughts will cease and you |
| career. | | | | will go into stillness. |
| One of the callers asked a question that I, myself get | | | | Begin with 5 minutes and work up to 20. You'll be glad |
| a lot from my own meditation clients: "what if I cant | | | | you did!! |
| focus, what if I CAN'T still my mind?" | | | | |